Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD)

Overview

The Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) is one of the largest arts universities in the United States, operating campuses in Savannah and Atlanta, Georgia, as well as a location in Lacoste, France. SCAD's School of Entertainment Arts offers film and television programs that have grown substantially in scale and reputation over the past two decades, fueled by Georgia's booming production industry and the school's aggressive investment in facilities and equipment.

Georgia's generous film tax credit has transformed the state into one of the largest production centers in the United States, and SCAD has positioned itself to capitalize on this shift. The Atlanta campus places students in direct proximity to the studios and production companies that have made the city a major hub for film and television. Pinewood Atlanta Studios, Tyler Perry Studios, and numerous other facilities operate in the metro area, creating internship and employment pathways for SCAD students.

SCAD's Savannah campus houses the school's primary production facilities, including soundstages, post-production suites, a motion capture studio, and screening rooms. The school's equipment inventory includes ARRI, RED, and Blackmagic cinema cameras, along with professional lighting, grip, and sound packages.

Programs Offered

• BFA in Film and Television -- undergraduate production covering directing, cinematography, editing, sound, and producing
• MFA in Film and Television -- graduate production with specializations across production disciplines
• BFA in Animation -- one of the largest animation programs in the country, covering 2D, 3D, and stop-motion
• MFA in Animation -- graduate-level animation with industry pipeline training
• BFA in Visual Effects -- compositing, CG, and effects integration
• BFA in Sound Design -- production and post-production audio
• BFA in Sequential Art -- comics, storyboarding, and graphic narrative

What Students Should Know

SCAD's primary advantage is scale. The school enrolls thousands of students across its arts programs, which means extensive equipment inventories, large facility footprints, and a wide range of elective options. Students who thrive in larger academic environments with diverse artistic communities will find SCAD energizing.

Georgia's production ecosystem is a genuine asset. Students regularly work as crew on professional productions shooting in the state, gaining paid on-set experience while still enrolled. This production proximity gives SCAD students a practical edge that most schools outside Los Angeles and New York cannot match.

The animation program is particularly strong and has produced graduates who work at major studios including Pixar, Disney, DreamWorks, and Cartoon Network. SCAD's annual film festival, the SCAD Savannah Film Festival, brings industry professionals to campus and creates networking opportunities for students.

Tuition is approximately $40,000 per year, lower than many peer institutions. SCAD offers merit scholarships and financial aid. The cost of living in Savannah and Atlanta is significantly lower than in Los Angeles or New York, which reduces the overall financial burden of the program.

Notable Alumni

SCAD alumni include India Arie (musician and filmmaker), Janicza Bravo (director of Zola), and a growing number of working animators, visual effects artists, and production professionals in film and television.

See Also

For understanding how state film incentives affect production geography, see Film Tax Credits Explained. To explore visual effects workflows, use the VFX Breakdown Calculator.